Welcome to issue #42 of Trail Mix, a weekly newsletter that’s about the people, places, history, and happenings in Southeastern Arizona.

If you’ve driven past the high school or checked your neighborhood forums this week, you already know. The collective energy in town has shifted.

The backpacks are officially thrown into the bottom of closets, the morning gridlock on Mary Ann Cleveland Way has vanished, and parents across Vail are breathing a massive sigh of relief (while simultaneously wondering how they’re going to fill the next twelve weeks).

Summer is here.

Memorial Day always brings this strange, beautiful tension, doesn’t it? On one hand, we’re celebrating the start of summer with our families. On the other, we are pausing to remember the heavy, unthinkable cost of the freedoms we're enjoying. It’s the lives given in service to this country so that we can have quiet, safe afternoons in our backyards.

Sometimes it feels hard to find a space that holds both that deep gratitude and the joy of a long weekend. But if you’re looking for a physical place to connect with that spirit of remembrance, we know a spot.

It started organically, which is how all the best things in Vail happen. Years ago, someone left a single painted rock at the base of a tree along the trail. Then came a tiny, handmade wooden door tucked into the roots. Then a ribbon. Then a laminated note.

Today, it’s a living, breathing community archive.

People leave everything from plastic dinosaurs and painted shells to quiet, bittersweet notes for loved ones they miss. It’s this incredibly sweet, completely unstructured way of saying, “I was here, I loved someone, and I wanted to leave a little joy for whoever walks by next.” If you’re looking for a way to honor the spirit of Memorial Day without sitting in a somber room, this is it. Let the kids paint a rock at the kitchen counter tonight, or write a heartfelt letter, and make a family ritual out of it.

If you look closely at the branches, you realize the Fairy Tree isn’t just a tourist stop. It’s a living, breathing emotional map of our community.

Memorial Day weekend is a heavy threshold for a lot of families. It carries the weight of looking back and honoring deep losses. But it’s also a week of massive transitions—we have students graduating, stepping out of their comfort zones, and moving into entirely new chapters of life.

That’s why the Fairy Tree is so special. It’s a place that can hold both the grief and the growth at the exact same time.

Parents bring their kids here to tuck handwritten notes into the bark. Some leave words of love for a family member they are missing terribly this weekend. Others leave messages of wild hope and advice for recent grads stepping into the unknown. It’s a physical way of saying, “Whatever season you are walking through right now, you aren't doing it alone.”

If you’re looking for a gentle, beautiful way to talk to your kids about remembrance, sacrifice, or even just the exciting (and slightly scary) beauty of growing up, write a note together at the kitchen table before you leave the house. Let them find a perfect little nook in the branches to leave it.

Ready to go? Here is how to make a day of it:

Step 1: Pack the cooler. Grab some brisket or burgers, pack up the potato salad, and load up more water than you think you need.

Step 2: Find the tree. Drive down Old Spanish Trail into Colossal Cave Mountain Park. Here are the directions to the Colossal Cave Fairy Tree from their Facebook page to make it easy to find.

Step 3: Fire up the grill. After visiting, claim one of those Colossal Cave Mountain Park stone picnic tables. Let the kids scramble over the rocks and climb trees after enjoying a nice picnic lunch in our beautiful backyard (the weather should be perfect).

Amidst all the crazy growth, new housing developments, and shifting traffic in Vail right now, this is the good stuff. It’s slowing down, checking in on the community, and welcoming summer with open arms.

Are you going to check it out this weekend? If you see me out on the trail, make sure to say hi!

With the long weekend here and summer officially kicking off, we want this to be your go-to spot to find out what’s happening right down the street.

Whether you're hosting a massive neighborhood yard sale to clear out the garage, selling fresh sourdough loaves from the side of Mary Ann Cleveland on Saturday morning, or hosting live music at your business, drop your event on the calendar right here. It’s totally free, super easy to use, and the best way to keep our community connected. Let's fill it up!

As we face this wave of growth, we have a choice: we can become just another generic suburb, or we can remain a community with a heartbeat. By partnering with this newsletter, you’re helping preserve the local love in Vail. When you advertise here, you are helping build something that lasts much longer than a roadside sign.